Learning to read and write in two languages: one at a time?

[SocietyClowns]

My dd aged 4 is doing well in her reading and writing in Reception in the UK and is getting increasingly interested in trying to read German (our home language). I have not encouraged her in this because the sounds are different(easier!) and I read on a thread a few years ago that it is better to let a child become fluent in one language first. Apparently they then automatically adjust to reading another language. Is this correct or could she do both without confusing herself?

If your child has acquired both her native languages easily orally there is no reason at all not to teach her to read and write in both languages pretty much simultaneously. German is much easier to learn to read than English, so you should be fine.

Sorry - it sounds from your post as if your DD is a native German speaker and has learned English from the environment. Even more of a reason to teach her to read and write in German quickly.

Hi sorry if I wasn't clear... She speaks both at home(German with me and English with dh) but had glue ear, so her German is not as good as her English (she's caught up with English now and is in school full time in the UK). I considered teaching her to read German first but she had absolutely no interest at 3 and as a summer born she started school at barely 4.

I don't know whether they automatically adjust to reading in another language. I taught my dd to read in German, alongside the school, since she was in German school at the time. When she was reading fluently. They learn of course much later and the progress is fast, so after I think 4 or 5 months of school she was reading those little chapter books like The Magic Treehouse and at that point, I taught her to read English.

I am sure it is not the only way to do it but that was what I did and dd reads very fluently in both English and German now of course at 11. I think it is fairly straight forward for both languages tbh and given enough exposure to interesting books and with you continuing to read to him, he will manage to read both languages well, however you might choose to go about it.

I'd probably have done the same as you if my dd had started school in Germany at 6 ZZZen. I think I'll continue to answer her questions if she tries to read German but won't encourage her too much because I want her to get to grips with English first.

my son is 6, learning to read as well in both languages - english and native slovak as well, its easier for him to get the sense how to read letter is order in slovak, and tries in english as well.